The 2020 Presidential Election is shaping up to be frustrating for many Americans.

Some voters hope to vote out President Donald Trump, limiting him to one term. However, there was a widespread disappointment when Joe Biden won presidential primary elections in most states and then became the Democratic nominee. 

Many who are voting for Biden are casting their ballot less than enthusiastically, simply voting for him just to try and prevent Trump’s re-election. They don’t necessarily agree with his policies or like him as a person, but they see him as a lesser of two evils.

Eligible voters are stuck struggling to make a decision, and they are facing a serious dilemma: If they don’t like any of the candidates, should they still vote?

The answer is yes.

Voting is a privilege. While the United States may be imperfect in many ways, I do believe that we are extremely lucky to live in a country where we are able to vote for our elected officials. Everybody should exercise their right to vote, because what would our lives be like if we were unable to? 

If you don’t vote, you don’t have a voice. If you don’t vote, you can’t complain about the way the country is being run and which policies are being put into place.

I believe that women especially should be voting in this election, as this year is the 100th anniversary of women earning the right to vote. 100 years ago, women couldn’t vote even if they wanted to. To not cast your ballot is a disservice to the women who fought for us.

Americans also have no problem voting for TV show contestants like Dancing with the Stars and celebrities for the People’s Choice Awards. If you vote in those, why wouldn’t you vote for the elected officials who make policies for our country?

So what should you do if you don’t really like any of the candidates?

I believe it’s a combination of studying each candidates’ policies and finding who you agree with more, and deciding who you tolerate more as a person.

The people who are elected decide the fate of so many policies – who do you trust to make those decisions for you and millions of others?

We also need to hold politicians accountable for their actions. If voters are electing someone that they aren’t particularly excited about, they need to stay on top of them throughout their term and continue to use their voices.

If you don’t like Trump or Biden — what about third party candidates?

A third party candidate has never won a presidential election, so the odds aren’t exactly in your favor. However, again, I think voters should do research on candidates and vote for somebody that they believe will implement policies that they agree with. If, for you, that’s a third party candidate, then go for it.

It’s also not just about voting in presidential elections. There are lawmakers at every level, and you should vote in all elections, including local, state, and national ones.

Voting is a privilege that not everyone is granted: if you’re one of the fortunate ones with that right, you should be casting a ballot – it will only take you a few minutes.

Follow Grace on Twitter @GraceM123456.